Gbaeple



H G. WAKNITZ.

GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. I918.

m 7 -i% //reyc HER/MAN cw Kmrz, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

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Speeificationof Letters Patent. i Patented J 11113 10, 1919,

Application filed September 20, 1918. Serial No. 254,910.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, HERMAN C. WAKNITZ,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the countyof Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grapples; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethesame,7 7 My invention relates to improvements in grapples intended forgeneral use, but especially adapted for use'in handling barrels, boxes,and the like. To the above ends. generally stated, the inventionconsists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafterdescribed and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved grapple with some partsbroken away;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a View partly in edge elevation and partly in vertical sectiontaken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The improved grapple comprises pairs of laterally spaced bars 5, thelower ends of which are bent to form a group of four diverging hooks 6,as best shown in Fig. 4. One of the bars 5 of one of the pairs isextended between the bars of the other pair and all of said bars areconnected by a pivot 7 in the form of a bolt.

The outer ends of an upper toggle 8 and the lower toggle 9 are insertedbetween the bars 5 of the arms of the grapple and connected theretobypivots 10, as shown in the form of bolts. It is important to note thatthe upper toggle 8 is relatively long and the lower toggle 9 isrelatively short. It is also important to note that the upper toggle 8is attached to the extreme upper ends of the arms of the grapple whilethe short toggle 9 is attached to said arms at a point equal to aboutone-third of the distance between the grapple pivot 7 and the outer endsof the grapple arms. Embracing the joint of the toggle 8 and pivotedthereto is an independent yoke 12, and an upwardly projecting yoke 13embraces the joint 14 of the lower toggle 9 and is pivoted thereto. Along supporting yoke 15 embraces the toggles 8 and 9 and is pivoted tothe joint 14 of the lower toggle 9 outward of the yoke 13. In thetransverse portion of the yoke 15 is an eye 16 to which is attached oneend of a cable 17. This cable 17 may be supported from a boom or othermeans not shown.

The grapple is closed under the action of gravity and is positivelyreleased by a block and tackle which includes a cable 18, one end ofwhich is attached to an eye 19 secured to the transverse portion of theyoke 12. From the eye 19, the cable 18 is extended under a guide sheave20, the bracket of which is attached to the transverse portion of theyoke 18. In releasing the grapple, a pull on the cable 18 will tend tostraighten the upper toggle 8 and, owing to its increased leverage overthe toggle 9, will overcome the tendency if said toggle 9 to buckle andthereby spread the hooks 6.

The above described grapple has, in actual usage, proven highlyeflicient for the purposes had in View..

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a grapple having a pair of pivotally connectedupwardly diverging arms arranged to close the grapple by a movementtoward each other, of an upper toggle connecting the grapple arms, saidupper toggle having relatively long arms and said lower toggle havingrelatively short arms, a depending yoke loosely embracing the uppertoggle and attached to the joint of the lower toggle, and a block andtackle connection between the two toggles for releasing the grapple.

2. The combination wtih a grapple having a pair of pivotally connectedupwardly diverging arms arranged to close the grapple by a movementtoward each other, each of said arms comprising a pair of pivotallyconnected members, one of the members of one of the arms being extendedbetween the members of the other arm to laterally space the members ofthe arms, an upper toggle and a lower toggle, the outer ends of whichand a support for the grapple attached to are inserted between themembers of the the lower toggle. 7

arms and pivotally connected thereto, said In testimony whereof aflix mysignature upper toggle havmg relatively long arms in presence of twowitnesses.

and said lower toggle having relatively V HERMAN C. WAKNITZ. short arms,yokes attached to the joints of Witnesses: Y 7 f the two toggles, ablock and tackle connect- EVA E. KoNIG,

ing said two yokes for releasing the grapple HARRY D. KILGORE.

Copies of this patent may Mia-obtained m2 flve'cents each, "byafldressing the Commissionerzdrjl atents,

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